1. When I removed my rudders I found 1 sort of broken plastic washer, I have spares of these but never really knew what they were for. When I re-install the Epo rudders do I need two of these on each rudder? Do these act as a buffer between the metal housing and the rudder?

2. The same type of washer is used on the mast, are the mast ones just thicker?

The plastic washers are used as needed with both upper and lower castings to reduce rudder/steering slop. I don't think they were meant to protect the blade, but I guess they do a little. See "rudder stiffening kit" (or something like that) in the catalog. I'm surprised you can even get washers in with EPOs....they have a thicker head than other rudders.

The rudder washers are nylon or polyethelene or such....a lot of people cut their own out of plastic jugs or whatever. I believe the mast bearing is delrin....it has to be a lot tougher.

So, the thicker washer is for the rudder? And the thinner ones are for the mast? The washer was real tight on the EPO rudder, if they are not needed I would rather leave it off. The seller gave me a gear bag with all these plastic washers, I thought they were all for the mast until I removed the rudders to paint and store and found a washer in the set up, in fact there was only one on each rudder so it must have been to tighten the rudder up. The real flexible ones are thinner and the thicker ones have less flexibility. If I understand you right the thinner ones go on the mast?

Lord! I hate organic chemistry......and this really isn't that complicated.

The thinner ones with the holes in the middle are to reduce rudder slop. The hole is for bolt that goes through rudder blade. Use as many/few as needed to provide desired unsloppiness. Too many and you may have trouble lowering the blades.

The thicker mast bearing chip reduces wear where the ball on the mast base grinds in the bowl on the mast step. It should not have a hole in it. If yours does, replace it with a solid one.

Use whatever friggin' slop and wear reducing plastic you want.....I can't imagine there's THAT much difference.

I have a 2" hole saw with a 1/4" drill and use it to cut discs out of plastic milk bottles. They work great as shims and cost nothing. I have been doing it, when needed, for many years.

I have been told that you can use a quarter as a temporary measure if you don't have the teflon disc for the mast bearing but have never done it. I wonder whether that is a good idea? It would seem to me that it would not prevent wear.

I have been told that you can use a quarter as a temporary measure if you don't have the teflon disc for the mast bearing but have never done it. I wonder whether that is a good idea? It would seem to me that it would not prevent wear.

It doesn't. It will work in a pinch, but you'll end up with wear on the ball of the mast base and a dish-shaped quarter.

I've used the cap off a water bottle in an emergency (had to re-step the mast on the water after dismasting). It worked well enough to get me through the rest of the day, but I replaced it as soon as I could.

That signature "Hobie hum" that is so common in the Hobie 16 is vibration in the rudders. Installing shims at the pivot point will reduce it if done right. I rarely hear my rudders hum. It also reduces the sloppy rudder on unnecessary wear on the rudder. Good scissors cut right through a milk jug.